Ice-cutting machine.



T. GEHRKB. 1GB CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR, 25, 1912.

1,102,904. t Patented July 7, 1914.

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l /mv wij l n nando@ F. GEHRKE. ICE CUTTING MACHINE. APPLIQATION FILED MAR. 25. 1912.

1,102,904. Patented July 7, 1914.

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l P. GBHRKB.

ICE CUTTING MAGHNE. APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 25, 1912.

Patented July 7, 1914.

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FRANK GEHB/KE, F ROCHESTER, MICHIGAN.

ICE- CUTTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led March 25, 1912. Serial No. 685,912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK GEHRKE, a citizen of the United States of America, re- Siding at Rochester, in the county of Oak- Tland and State of Michigan, have invented l certain new and useful Improvements in Ice- Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference b'e-ing had therein to the accompanying drawings.y

This invention relates to an ice cutting machine and to an arrangement thereof whereby the same is self propelled and whereby the cutters are power driven, the invention also including means for automatically guiding the machine.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

.In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of amachine that embodies features of the invent-ion; Fig. 2 is a plan view, partially broken away, of the machine; and Fig. 3 is a view, with parts omitted. of the front or steering end of the machine. Fig. ,4 is a. view in detail showing the arrangement of springsand guide shoes.,

As herein shown in preferred form, a substantially rectangular and properly proportioned vframe 1 is mounted, preferably by springs 2,: on a forward axle 3 and a rear drive axle. 4 with front steering wheels 5 and rear traction wheels 6. Spuds 7 or other suitable devices are provided for causing the peripheries of the .wheels to have the'proper traction on ice. p

A differential drive mechanism indicated I I at 8 is connected with a ,motor 9 mounted on the frame' through any suitable interven-I ing mechanism. As herein shown, a jack shaft 10 is connected by sprockets and chain indicatedk at 11 with 'a main shaft 12 of the..

motor. Change speed mechanism of any type, indicated at 13, with clutch 14 for locking the latter to the shaft, is .coupled by a sprocket chain and suitable wheels indicated'at `15 with the' driving member of the'dii'erential mec-hanism. It is to be understood that the usual controlling mechanism for this change speed and transmission mechanism is provided although herein lshown only in part and conventionally.

A counter shaft 16 is journaled on the rear end of the 'frame in parallel'relation to the shaft 12 from which it is driven by any appropriate means as forexample, sprockets and chain 17. The counter shaft 16 or its bearing also forms pivotal support Patented July 7, 1914-.

for the inner end portion of a longitudinally tilting and depending saw frame 18 which may be raised and lowered as desired by means of links 19 coupling the forward end ofthe frame beyond the shaft to the bell crank arms 20 of ahand lever 21 that works in a quadrant 22 on the frame. A saw shaft 23 at the lower or outer end of the auxiliary frame is driven from the counter shaft 16 by any suitable means as for example,

sprockets 24 and chain 25. Ice cutting saws i 26 are' secured to the shaft 23 in proper spaced relation. To further regulate the depth of cut when the/frame 18 is not supported by the lever 21, a shoe 27 is adjustably secured by means cfa stem 28 clamped in a block 29 by suitable means to the rear of the frame 18 so that the shoe slides on the ice and limits the depth of the saw cut.

- A steering post 30 within the convenient reach of the operator supports a hand wheel l i 31 that is operatively connected to steering knuckles 32 on the forward a'Xle 3 b/y any of the well known means for) guiding se'lf propelled vehicles, the steering arms 33 of the knuckles being coupled in the usual manner by a cross link 34 to swing together.

To assist in holding the machine in proper relation to a saw kerf on either side of the machine or a marking groove, a transverse member 3G ofthe frame supports at its outer end upright spindles 37 which 4arevertically movable in the transverse member and carry at their lower ends guide shoes 38 adapted to enter a saw kerf or marker cut. The spindles`37 are' rotatable in their supports and areA connected to-turn together by a link 39 pivoted to laterally projecting arms 40 on the spindles. Any swinging of these spindles is communicated to the link 34 by` means of a.suitable lever 41 and rod 42 so that as the shoes turn in the cuts theyswi'ng the guide wheels to follow them. The spindles are normally held with Atheir shoes c ear of the ice by suitably disposed springs 43 which are in compression between the guide lugs 44 of the member 36 in which the spindles 37 are reciprocable, and the' arms 4() on the spindles 37. The upper ends of said spindles are attached to the ends of a rock bar 47. As the springs 43 normally depress the ends of the rock bar 47 equally and in opposite direction since they are both in compression between the guide lugs 44 on the member 36 and the arms 40 onthe spindles 37, the rock bar is not free to tilt oh its axis but is yieldingly held in substantially horizontal position-or in parallel relation to the memberj36. This` prevents either end from 'being depressedl enough to cause the guide shoes 38 to enter a saw ke-rf in the ice. The barr?. may be tilted in either direction by means of a shaft 48 horizontally journaled in the member 36 longitudinally of the frame 1, that is connected by means of a tumbling rod 49, having a telescoping or slip joint 50'to allow *for the motion of the frame on the springs, and a 4rock shaft 5l whose upturned end portion 52 is in suitable operative relation to the drivers station, so ythat the latter by throwing` the handle or end portion of the part 52 to one side o-r the other, may correspondingly depress one of the guide shoes 38 to engage a saw kerf or cut. As a further detail, of construction a suitably designed scraper 53 may be supported on the forward end of the machine in such manner as to be angularly adjustable'preferably by means of an upright stem 54 passing through a bearing boss 55 with a clamping screw 56 to hold it in adjusted position.

In operation the driver may either guide the machine by hand for the initial cut or make use of the automatically .operating guide shoes to hold the machine in operative relation to a saw cut or marker groove already made. 'Byproper manipulation ot' the sawframe lever, the saws may be swungl clear of the ground for road travel -or may v be lowered to operate on the ice. The machine may be readily controlled, so far 'as driving is concerned, through a manually operable steering device which maybe made automatic by shifting the guide shoes into position.

The machine is simple and effective in operation and the weight is so distributed as not to be excessive on any one wheel.

Obviously, changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and I do notcare to limit myself to any particular forni* or arrangement of parts. Y

What I claim is l 1. In an ice cutting machine, a main frame supported on steering and traction wheels, a motor on the frame operatively connected to the traction wheels, controlling mechanism for governing the motor, rotatable ice cutters adjustably mounted on the frame and operatively connected to the -motor, means for automatically guiding the machine, springs for holding the guiding means normally inoperative, land manually operable means for throwing the guiding means into engagement with a kerf in the ice.

2. In an ice cutting machine, a main frame mounted on steering and traction wheels a motor on the frame operatively cprnected to thetraction Wheels, an auxiliai frame adjustably secured on the main frame, ice cutters mounted on the auxiliary frame, mechanism operatively connecting the motor and cutters, manually operable steering means, automatic means for controlling the steering means independently of the manual control, spring memcers for normally holding' the automatic steering control members in inoperative position and manually operable means for throwing the automatic -guiding means into engagement wlth a kerf in the ice. U

3. In an ice cutting machine, a main frame mounted.A on steering and traction wheels, a

motor on the frame operatively connected to the traction wheels, av saw frame langularly adjustable on the main frame, a gage for regulating the position of the auxiliary frame, rotatable ice cut-tersy mounted on the auxiliary frame and operatively .connected to the motor, means for automatically controlling' the steering wheelsv to guide the machine and manually operable means ,for

throwing the automatic controlling means,

into engagement with a kerf in the ice.

4. In an ice cutting machine, a main" frame, steering and traction wheels supporting the main frameLa motor on the frame operatively connected to the traction wheels, a saw frame pivoted on the main frame, a gage adjustably secured to the saw frame for supporting the free end of the latter,

rotatable cutters mounted on the saw frame and operated by the motor, manually operable means controlling the steering wheels, means for .automatically controlling the steering mechanism when moved into engagement with a groove in ice traversed bythe machine, spring means for normally holding the automatic controlling means clear of the ice and means for throwing. such controlling means into such engagement.

5. In an ice cutting machine, a main frame mounted on steering and traction Wheels, a motor for driving the traction wheels, a saw frame pivoted on the main frame to trail on ice traversed by themachine, ice cutters on the free end portion of. the saw frame, means operatively confl necting the motor to the cutters to rotate the latter, means for raising the saw frame and Vcutters into inoperative position, manually operable ymeans for steering the machine adapted to I operate automatically when thrown into engagement with grooves in ice traversed by the machine, means for throwing such steering gear into such enlQagement and spring members normally holding the guiding means in disengaged relation to the surface traversed by the machine.

6. In an ice cutting machine, a main frame, traction and steering wheels on which lao the frame is yieldingly mounted, a saw frame swinging from the main frame, an adjustable gage for supporting the free end of the saw frame, ice cutters rotatably mounted on the saw frame, a motor on the main frame, means operatively connecting the cutters and motor to drive the former, means operatively connecting the traction wheels and motorv to propel the machine, means for controlling the steering Wheels adapted to operate automatically when in engagement with a groove in ice traversed by the machine, and means for throwing the steering means into such engagement with such groove.

7. In an ice cuttin machine having traction wheels, a motor or driving the traction wheels, ice cutters operated by the motor, and steeringl wheels, a transverse member Copies of this patent may ha obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

supported on the outer portion of the rock arm, springs yieldingly retaining the rock.

arm and shoes in inoperative pos1tionman ually operable means for tilting the rock arm to throw either guide shoe into a groove in ice traversed by the machine, and means operatively connecting the guide shoes with the steerin wheels to swing the latter when the guide s oes swing.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature inpresence of two witnesses.

v FRANK GEHRKE.

Witnesses z C. R. STICKNEY, ANNA M. DORR.

Washington, D. C. 

